Refrigerator door lamp switch



Jan. 4, 1938. F. H. OSBORNE 2,104,164

REFRIGERATOR DOOR LAMP SWITCH Filed Dec. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan 4, 1938. F. H. OSBORNE REFRIGERATOR DOCR LAMP SWITCH Filed Dec, 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MM/Qfl @Mame Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR DOOR LAMP SWITCH Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,458

6 Claims.

My invention has for its object to provide a refrigerator door lamp switch that may be readily connected to the refrigerator control switch.

As is well known, the refrigerator controlswitches are commonly mounted upon porcelain bafiie plates located in front of the chilling unit of the refrigerating apparatus. The switches are usually located at the back of the baffle plates, and the control members of control switches protrude through openings of the baffle plates and in position for ready operation to connect the compresscr motor with an external circuit and to produce variation in the normal refrigerating operations of the refrigerators. Suitable brackets or flanged parts are connected to, or formed integral with, the shell of the refrigerator control switch, and screws or other fastening means extend through openings formed in the porcelain bafile plates and brackets or flanges to secure the control switches to the baflle plates.

The invention provides means for supporting a door-operated lamp switch on the refrigerator control switch.

The invention provides means for utilizing part of the control switch for supporting a lamp switch actuating means that protrudes forwardly to be engaged by the door and operates the lamp switch to open and close the circuit of the lamp that is located at the rear of the bafile plate.

The invention provides means whereby a socket member having lamp contacts and a lamp switch located therein may be readily connected to the shell of the control switch, by interconnecting the contacts of the control switch and the lamp switch.

The invention may be contained in structures of different forms and, to illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected a refrigerator lamp switch and a lamp supporting member that may be readily attached to the shell of the refrigerator control switch as illustrative of the different structures that may embody my invention, it being understood that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The particular structure selected as an example is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator, showing the door open and the switches positioned on the baffle plate of the refrigerating unit. Fig. 2 illustrates the lamp switch in its position mounted upon the refrigerator control switch and the door closed, showing the switch open. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the connection of the switches with the electric circuit of the refrigerator. Fig. 4 illustrates a section of the lamp switch and lamp supporting member and part of the refrigerator control switch. Fig. 5 illustrates an enlarged view showing the parts of the control switch, the lamp switch, and the lamp. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the lamp and lamp switch supporting member with the cover plate removed to show the conductor binding screws of the refrigerator control switch.

The refrigerator l is provided with the usual refrigerator door 2 and a refrigerating chilling unit 3 placed in the upper part of the food chamber 4 of the refrigerator. A porcelain bafile plate 5 is located in front of the refrigerator unit 3 and may be provided, if desired, with a door 6 for closing the front end of the shell of the unit to enclose the trays or other utensils surrounded by the walls of the unit.

As is common with refrigerators, the refrigerator control switch is mounted on the porcelain bafile plate 5. The baffle plate usually has an opening for receiving the front end of the shell of the refrigerator control switch or openings through which the control members 8 and 9 may protrude to the front of the baffle plate and in position to enable ready operation of one of the control members to connect the compressor motor to the electric system and the operation of the other for adjusting the normal refrigerating temperature that is produced by the cycles of the operation of the refrigerating apparatus in the manner well known in the art. The shell of the control switch is usually provided with flanges or bracket members, and suitable fastening means, such as the screws II and I2, are used for connecting the front end of the shell of the control switch to the baffle plate and locate the control members of the control switch in such a position that they may be readily operated by the user of the refrigerator.

In the form of construction shown, the shell [3 has a pair of brackets i4 and i5, and the screws II and I2 extend through small openings formed in the porcelain bafiie plate 5 to draw the brackets It and I5 towards the balile plate and the shell against the rear side of the bafile plate by means of the nuts it. If desired, suitable spacing blocks ll may be located intermediate the brackets l4 and I5 and the rear side of the baffle plate.

The lamp is preferably mounted in the top of the refrigerator and may be mounted at the rear of the bafiie plate. The invention provides means utilizing the parts of the control switch to connect and support the lamp switch and the lamp switch actuating member on a part of the shell of the control switch whereby the structure may be installed as a unit in the refrigerator. It thus eliminates the formation of additional openings in the baflie plate, on which the control switch is mounted, upon the addition of the lamp switch to the control switch and enables ready installation of the unit.

As is well known in connection with the porcelain structures, the edges of the opening of the porcelain front and back layers are liable to chip off, and hence it is desirable to provide as few openings as possible to prevent rust, which starts where the metal is uncovered by the porcelain. Also, slidably moving members in openings formed causes chipping of the enamel at the edges. Cutting holes in enamel ware leaves bare edges that readily rust. I

The invention provides means whereby the openings formed for receiving the clamping members that are ordinarily used to secure the shell of the refrigerator control switch in position may also be used for receiving the lamp switch actuating member that extends from a position to be operated by the refrigerator door to a position to operate the lamp switch supported at the rear of the baffle plate. Thus, in the form of construction shown, a rod is slidably supported in a part of the shell of the control switch and particularly through the brackets of the shell, or more particularly through a bushing located in one of the brackets that also may be utilized as one of the means for securing the assembled unit to the bafile plate.

In the form of invention shown, the screw I2 is made in the form of a bushing or sleeve, it being bored centrally and axially to receive the push rod 28 that is preferably provided with a knob 2| against which the door presses when it is closed. The push rod is spring pressed by means of the spring 22 located intermediate a washer 23 fixedly connected to the rod and a thimble 24 located on the end of the rod that engages a spring pressed member that forms the movable contact of the lamp switch.

The lamp and the lamp switch are supported in the socket member 28. A part 29 of the member 28 has the transverse dimension of and forms an extension of the insulating block .26 of the shell I 3 when the socket member 28 is connected to the control switch. The contact members or terminals of the control switch are located in the block 26 and are connected to the electric refrigerating circuit that is closed and opened by the movable contact 30 of the control switch. The member 28 may be readily connected to the control switch by merely adding extensions to the terminals of the control switch or by the use of longer binding screws that extend through the wall of the member 28 and into one or more of the terminals of the control switch. In the form shown, a pair of contact, or terminal posts 60 and 6|, are imbedded in the block 26 and extend through the block from one surface to the other. The post 60 has a switch contact 35 secured to one end. and the other end is provided with a tapped recess for receiving a terminal screw. The post 6| has a switch contact 36 secured to one end and a terminal bar 62 secured at the other end. The bar 62 is provided with a threaded opening at 63 for receiving a terminal screw. When the lamp socket member 28 is not connected to the control switch, the control switch may be connected in the refrigerator motor circuit by connecting the power wires to the bar 62 at 63 and to conbe extended through the bushing to secure the socket to the terminals of the control switch.

Afiexible switch contact 42 is secured to the bushing 64 to provide a connection for the lamp switch in the motor circuit. The bushing 66 is tapped to receive a terminal screw 46, and a lamp contact member 41 is secured to the bushing 66 to provide a second terminal for connecting the lamp switch in the motor circuit.

When the lamp switch is to be installed on the control switch, the terminal screws are removed from the contact post 68 and the terminal member 62 and extensions 3| and 32 having threaded stems 68 are threaded into the terminals in place of the terminal screws. The screws 33 and 34 are extended through the bushings 64 and 65, respectively, and are threaded into the extensions 3| and 32. Thus, circuit connections may be made to the external circuit by connecting the wire 56 of the power line to the bushing or terminal post 64 by means of the terminal screw 33, and the wire 51 of the power line to the post 66, by means of the terminal screw 46. Thus the terminals of the control switch are utilized for securely connecting the lamp switch in the refrigerator circuit and at the same time providing means for supporting the lamp switch and socket member to the refrigerator control switch and producing a unitary structure that may readily be installed in the refrigerator.

The sheet metal, thread-formed lamp socket contact 38 is located .in a rear part of the member 28 into which a lamp 39 may be inserted. The contact 38 is provided with a lug 31 that is embedded in the insulating material of which the socket member 28 is formed, and a fixed contact 40 is secured to the end of the lug 31.

The fixed contact 40 is located in the recess 4| formed in a forward part of the member 28, and an elastic movable contact member 42, connected to the bushing 64, protrudes into the recess 4| and to a point below the fixed contact 40 of the lamp switch. The contact member 42 is biased to make contact with the fixed contact 40.

A cover plate 44 may be secured by means of the screws 45 in position to close the recess 4| formed in the socket member 28. The thimble 24 extends through a suitable opening formed in the cover plate 44 and placed against the spring contact member 42, so that upon closing of the door, the contact 42 will be depressed by the pressure of the rod 20 and moved away from the contact 40 to open the circuit of the lamp.

When the lamp is located in position in the member 28, the central contact makes contact with the spring contact 41 whichis connected to the binder post 66. The contact 36 of the control switch is connected to a wire that leads to the motor circuit through the binding screw 34.

As shown in the diagram illlustration Fig. 3, the motor 56 operates a compressor 5| which compresses the refrigerant gas and forces it into the condenser 54 from which it is directed to the evaporator 52 and is drawn from the evaporator 52 through the pipe 53 to the compressor when the control switch is closed. Thus, the current flows from the main ine 56 through the line 55 ,and'door switch support may be readily connected to and supported upon the terminals of the refrigerator control switch to form a unit, and the lamp switch may be operated by a member that extends through a baffle plate connecting part of the unit.

I claim:

1. The combination of a refrigerator control switch having an enclosing shell and a pair of terminals, said control switch being mounted on the bafile plate of a refrigerator; a lamp switch having a socket member for housing the lamp switch and for receiving a lamp, said lamp switch having a resilient contact biased to close the switch to one of the contacts of the lamp; a memper for connecting the resilient contact to one terminal of the control switch and for securing the socket member to the shell of the control switch; a second member for mechanically connecting the socket member to the other terminal of the control switch to further secure the socket member to the shell of the control switch; a threaded sleeve for mounting the shell of the control switch on the baiile plate; a spring pressed rod extending through the sleeves for operating the resilient contact of the lamp switch under the control of the refrigerator door.

2. The combination of a refrigerator control switch having an enclosing shell and a pair of terminals, said control switch being mounted on the baffle plate of a refrigerator; a lamp switch having a socket member for housing the lamp switch and for receiving a lamp, said lamp switch having a resilient contact biased to close the switch to one of the contacts of the lamp;

a member for connecting the resilient contact to one terminal of the control switch and for securing the socket member to the shell of the control switch; a second member for mechanically connecting the socket member to the other terminal of the control switch to further secure the socket member to the shell of the control switch; means for mounting the shell of the control switch on the baille plate; and a spring pressed rod extending through the baffle plate for operating the resilient contact of the lamp switch under thecontrol of the refriggator door.

3. The combination of a refrigeratorcontrol switch having terminals and mounted in a refrigerator; a lamp switch; a socket member for housing the lamp switch and for receiving the lamp, said lamp switch having contacts one being biased to closed position with the other; a member for connecting one of the contacts to one terminal of the control switch and for securing the socket member to the control switch, a second member for mechanically connecting the socket member to the other terminal of the control switch to further secure the socket member to the control switch; and a push rod for operating the biased contact of the lamp switch under the control of the refrigerator door.

4. The combination of a refrigerator control switch having terminals and mounted in a refrigerator; a lamp switch; a socket member for housing the lamp switch and for receiving the lamp, said lamp switch having contacts, one being biased to closed position with the other; a pair of connectors aligned and engageable with the terminals of the control switch and forming means for mechanically connecting the socket member to the control switch terminals; connectors for conducting current to the lamp through the lamp switch, one of the last mentioned connectors being connected with one of the first mentioned connectors; and a push rod for operating the biased contact of the lamp switch under the control of the refrigerator door.

5. The combination of a refrigerator cabinet having a door; a control switch within the cabinet, said switch having terminals accessible from the exterior thereof; a lamp switch including contacts, one of said contacts being biased to closed position with the other; a lamp socket member housing the switch and providing a socket for a lamp, said socket member having electrical connectors aligned and engageable with the terminals of the control switch and accessible from the exterior of the socket member for connecting the same with an electric circuit; a conductor for a lamp socket circuit including the lamp switch, said conductor being connected with one of the connectors; means for attaching the socket member to the control switch and for maintaining the connectors connected with the terminals; and a push rod operating the biased contact under the control of the refrigerator door.

6. The combination of a refrigerator cabinet having a door; a control switch within the cabinet, said switch having terminals accessible from the exterior thereof; a lamp switch including contacts, one of said contacts being biased to closed position with the other; a lamp socket member housing the switch and providing a socket for a lamp, said socket member having electrical connectors aligned with and attached to the terminals of the control switch, said connectors being accessible from the exterior of the socket member for connecting the same with an electric circuit; a conductor for a lamp socket circuit including the lamp switch, said conductor being connected with one of the connectors; and a push rod operating the biased contact under the control of the refrigerator door.

FREDERICK H. OSBORNE. 

